Nissan Repair: 89 Nissan pickup w/ z24 motor

Question
QUESTION: Hi there,
Boyfriend out of town for work, only vehicle available for me to use is his 89' Nissan pickup which I LOVE! However, the gas gauge isn't working and my knowledge extends to that of helping my boyfriend when he's here which he's very kind and patient to let me and probably used less technical terms than he might with another man helping him. SO. No money to take to a mechanic, please help and please keep in mind my knowledge is very limited. Aside from the gas gauge not working, while driving, at a certain spot on the gas pedal while accelerating and always the same spot, the engine cuts out, lugs, sputters..... Something to that effect. In time I can gain speed and as long as I avoid the spot on the gas pedal it seems to do fine. My boyfriend just replaced the fuel pump, we changed all spark plugs, cleaned air filter... What can I do so it drives safely and at the very least fix the gas gauge so I can safely drive an hour and a half to an interview tomorrow?!

ANSWER: Hi Randi -

Does this flat spot happen when the engine is warmed up, or does it not matter? And have you replaced the fuel filter when replacing the fuel pump?

LMK
aloha
Calvin

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi thanks for the reply and my boyfriend is now available to help and read these replies now so no need to spell it out too much now :) New fuel filter, just put in a new throttle positioning sensor. Our next steps we thought would be new spark plug wires because we pulled them while engine was running and some didn't SEEM to effect how it ran. But we're unsure if that was because of it having the 8 spark plugs? Should we have pulled two? However he pulled a few at once and still not much change on how it ran. Some had a spark to them. Um.. The other option we thought we'd try is changing the fuel pressure regulator because it SEEMED to be pouring gas in while engine was running and we were accelerating to where it bogs down. Hope this helps and you can help us out. We don't want to pour too much more into this but he needs a vehicle and I am kinda partial to it too. :) The fuel pressure regulator runs somewhere around $160 and we just got the tps for around $130! I'm writing cause my b/f is not technologically savvy, but is pretty mechanical savvy. As good as a non mechanic could be i would think.

Answer
Hi Randi -

I don't understand how you pulled 2 spark plug wires out and the engine did not die? Usually one will make it run rough but you pull out 2 and the engine cannot run usually.

Anyway, can you tell me if the check engine light is on?

Also, does this flat spot happen when the car is warmed up or does that matter?

aloha
Calvin